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Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day - November 2011

Here in my central Indiana Zone 5b garden, any blooms I found outside could best be described as errant blooms, like this lone blue flower on Vinca minor.

Our growing season is over and we've finally had a killing frost, though it was later than in most years.

I checked my bloom day posts from past years just to remember how Novembers have been these past four years and found that last year, Symphyotrichum oblongifolium ‘October Skies’ still had errant blooms on it, just like this year.

This is an aster - yes, we can still call it an aster even though someone changed its botanical name. You can keep it to a manageable size by cutting it back by about half in late May. This also encourages more branching, which means more blooms.

Also in the front garden, the Knockout® rose, Rosa ‘Radsunny’ still looks pretty good for this late in the season.

In the back, at the edge of Woodland Follies it is not a bloom that catches the eye, but the dark burgundy foliage of an Oakleaf Hydrangea, Hydrangea querifolia.

This is a shrub that the garden designer planted last fall. It died back to the ground over the winter and was very late to send up new shoots in the spring. I almost dug it for dead, but am glad I didn't.

Over in The Shrubbery, an area that was planted up in the spring but didn't get a whole lot of attention the rest of the summer, Boltonia asteroides actually looks pretty good.

Too bad it is a weed.

It is most assuredly time to turn our attention indoors to find our blooms.

I am most fortunate to have two Schlumbergera sp., in bud.

One will have orange flowers.

And one will have pink flowers.

These are also known as Thanksgiving Cactus or Christmas Cactus depending on when they bloom. I believe these will both be blooming well by Thanksgiving.

And that's what's blooming in November here at May Dreams Gardens.

What's blooming in your garden on this fine November day? I hope you'll join in for Garden Bloggers Bloom Day by posting about what's blooming in your garden on the 15th of the month.

It's easy to participate. Just post about what's blooming in your garden, then leave a link to your post in the Mr. Linky widget below so we can find you and a comment to tell us a little about what we'll find in your November garden.

All are welcome to participate!

"We can have flowers nearly every month of the year.” ~ Elizabeth Lawrence

I understsand why you named your blog Maydreams; your cold weather really does kick in early. what you do have blooming is lovely, even the weed. I included one weed in my slide show too as I thought it very beautiful. I think I have more flowers blooming than in October so I'm enjoying it while I can. Happy GBBD Christina

Thanks for the chance to post my second Garden Bloggers Bloom Day. I feel like an old hand. I'm about to try asters here for the first time, so if they end up anywhere near the size of yours, i will be delighted.

I am envious of the deep red colour on your hydrangea Carol, mine is still green and I am crossing my fingers that it doesn't just stay that way until the leaves fall off like it did last year! Thanks for hosting, happy GBBD. I must remember to cut my aster back next year, then maybe I will still have some errant flowers on mine.

I guess it is easier to appreciate the flowers on "weeds" in November than in earlier months. I am glad that your Oakleaf Hydrangea made it back from the brink, it is one of the best 4 season shrubs. Thank you for hosting another GBBD.

It amazes me how well the roses do this time of year. I posted about a beauty as well. I'm also moving on to seasonal thoughts by doing a double posting, the other one on Christmas gifts for the gardener.

Carol, You have more in bloom in your zone 5b garden than I have in my zone 6b Pennsylvania garden; but I do have a couple of things that have survived the first frosts. I like the bittersweet quality of those errant blooms. Happy Bloom Day and thanks again for hosting. -Jean

Beautiful asters! I let Boltonia Asteroides grow in my garden. I also have an Oakleaf Hydrangea with that gorgeous autumn color going on right now. I've had to move mine twice but now that I've vowed to leave it alone, I hope it takes off. I'm sure your cacti will be stunning – I love orange!

Oh, this is a very green with envy southern person. You have so many Christmas cactus blooms! Mine have not started yet. But I have hope they will! Thanks for hosting GBBD and always giving me a boost.

For having had a killing frost, your rose looks very good. What your garden needs for November bloom is an Aster tataricus. Mine is still in full bloom here in Zone 5a. I decided not to feature any indoor blooms because I still have too much blooming outside this month. There'll be plenty of time to post photos of them in the coming months.

Thank you so much for hosting! I've had five oak leaf hydrangeas awaiting planting, and yours has motivated me to get those poor babies in the ground so they can glow their gorgeous colors! Happy Bloom Day!

I saw a Christmas cactus grown as a bonsai on Pinterest. I have a cutting and a bonsai dish. Just before I proceeded, I read the original post -- the plant died soon after the photo was taken. Now I'm afraid....

Oakleaf hydrangeas are awesome in the fall - great color and form! Here in NE Texas, we haven't had a freeze yet, and are expecting rain (keeping fingers crossed). Been a tough year, yet trees are coloring up nicely, and still and abundance of fall flowers.

I'm impressed you still have a rose in bloom! Here in Portland, most of mine have shut down for the season. I do have rosemary and a camellia blooming for me, as well as several summer lovelies that are still hanging on.

Somehow, I despair of realigning my mind to the reclassed name, Symphyotrichum. Like you, I will just to keep referring to them as asters!

Hi again, I realise that the link on mr.linky wasn't correct, I've added it again, you may cancel the link that goes to October if you can, thank you. Christinahttp://myhesperidesgarden.wordpress.com/2011/11/15/gbbd-november/

I had to pull out a struggling oak-leaf hydrangea this summer. Love the fall color on yours. Boltonia was never a weed for me but did surprisingly well for a prairie plant in semi-arid SoCal. I need to grow it again. Happy bloom day!

I'm glad to see you still have some plants blooming. Knockout roses are still blooming here in upstate NY but I don't have any. Thank you for this monthly event-I'll be using the Southern Hemisphere posts to dream about spring.

Carol how in heaven's name do you have asters, weeds and roses still blooming in your zone 5b? My world is already crispy brown and I have decided to up my zone to 6b. And guess what. I have a couple of outdoor blooms.

Your "weedy" aster looks similar to our wild aster, Aster ericoides. In this year of drought I celebrate anything that is still alive especially if it's putting out flowers. Seeing your asters puts a smile on my face.

I love the asters! Our asters are mostly done, but we actually haven't had a killing frost in our part of NC yet. I've had a wonderful time working out in the garden the last two weeks - an unexpected gift!

I'm going to show my Christmas Catus the photo of yours- with a little *nudge hint hint*Thanks for sharing and hosting! I posted a few small blooms (blue fescue, ice plant) that are easy to walk by - but worth the pause to look.

Love the 'Radsunny' rose, Carol--I think that your photos have convinced me that it's one I will gift to my cousin (who isn't really a gardener, but whose late mother adored yellow roses) when she gets married and gets a house next year. :)

Oh, and I'm glad that you left the oakleaf hydrangea, too! That's one of my favorite shrubs!